Graphene - the Nanomaterial for Preparation of Next Generation Semipermeable Membranes

In recent decades, novel and promising materials (e.g. carbon nanotubes, nanoporous graphene and graphene oxide) suitable to be used in preparation of high-capacity membranes for water desalination and water and wastewater treatment have been developed. Membranes made of NPG and GO materials enable to obtain significantly higher water/permeate fluxes than currently used thin film composite membranes for RO and other separation processes as pervaporation, forward osmosis, capacitive deionization, electrodialysis, or in formation of photocatalytic membranes. Novel composite membrane containing NPG and GO can be divided into freestanding membranes (prepared only from NPF/GO), and polymeric/ceramic membranes modified with the use of graphene-based nanomaterials. Modification of polymeric membranes can be achieved either by introduction of a nanomaterial onto a membrane surface or to a membrane casting solution followed by membrane formation from a polymer and a nanomaterial mixture. The future development of NPG/GO containing membranes should focus on the improvement of their separation features. A lot of effort has to be given to understand and properly explain both, role and interaction mechanisms of graphene-based nanomaterial with a membrane, especially in case of freestanding graphene oxide membranes. GO nanosheets are very promising material for manufacturing of desalination membranes, however more attention has to be dedicated to potential disadvantages such as mechanical instability, nanosheets formation, non-uniform distribution of layers and surface damage. Additionally, the scaling up required for commercial production of ultra-thin membranes of high permeability, based on graphene-oxide, is one of the greatest challenge for scientists and engineers. The success reached in this area will lead to the decrease in energy consumption in RO installation and in other membrane processes. Moreover, the release of nanomaterial from such membranes and their potential toxicity has to be investigated in detail for their further practical use in desalination processes.